National Board for Wildlife, Wildlife Advisory Board

National Board for Wild Life is a statutory body constituted under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

History of National Board for Wildlife

• Due to the rapid decline in wildlife population, the GOI had constituted an advisory body designated as the Indian Board for Wildlife (IBWL) in 1952.
• The Indian Board for Wildlife was chaired by the Prime Minister.
• The Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972 was enacted for providing special legal protection to wildlife.
• The Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972 laid special emphasis on endangered species of fauna.
• As per the Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act, 2002, a provision was incorporated for the constitution of the National Board for Wildlife, replacing the Indian Board for Wildlife.

Members of National Board for Wildlife

• The National Board for Wildlife has 47 members with the Prime Minister in the Chair.
• The Minister in charge of the MoEF in GOI is the Vice-Chairperson.
• The Additional Director General of Forests (WL) & Director, Wildlife Preservation is the Member-Secretary to the Board.
• Other members include
  • three Members of Parliament (two from Lok Sabha and one from Rajya Sabha),
  • five NGOs and
  • 10 eminent ecologists, conservationists and environmentalists.

Duties

• The board is advisory in nature and advises the GOI in conservation and development of wildlife and forests.
• It has the power to review all wildlife-related matters and approve projects in and around national parks and sanctuaries.
• No alternation of boundaries in national parks and wildlife sanctuaries can be done without the approval of the National Board for Wildlife.

Wildlife Advisory Board

• Wildlife Advisory Board is a statuary body of the state (UT) government.
• The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 mandates the State (UT) Government to constitute a Wildlife Advisory Board consisting of the following members:
• Minister in charge of Forest in the State (UT) is the Chairman (Chief Secretary will be the chairman if the minister’s post is vacant).

Duties

• Advise the State Government in
  • selection and administration of areas to be declared as Sanctuaries, National Parks, Closed Areas;
  • formulation of the policy of protection and conservation of Wildlife and specified plants;
  • measures to be taken for harmonizing the needs of the tribals and other forest dwellers with the protection and conservation of wildlife; and
  • any matter that may be referred to it by the State Government.